A certain sign of spring arrived at Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply this weekend.

The cheeps and peeps of hundred of baby chicks can be heard the instant customers pass through the automatic double doors of the store.

“This is the cream-of-the-crop,” laughed Lillie Kopasz, better known as “Miss Lillie The Chicken lady,” to her regular customers.

Kopasz said she works in the pet department of the store but looks forward to the spring and the arrival of “her babies” every year. This is the eighth year that Kopasz has played mother hen to the hundreds of fledglings that will be sold in the next couple of months.

She doesn’t mind changing the water for the chicks or cleaning their tanks. “The hardest part is when they die because they got smashed in the box or injured or whatever,” she said.

Because the babies are fragile, Murdoch’s asks customers not to handle the chicks. “They could just jump out of your hand and break a leg or something,” said Matthew Cook, fondly called “Chicken Guy” by Kopasz.

Farmers and families look forward to the annual arrival of the baby chicks, bunnies, turkeys, geese and ducks. Some school groups schedule an annual visit to the store. It’s a busy and a popular destination, especially during spring break, Kopasz said.

Murdoch’s will sell over 10,000 chicks in the next 10 weeks. New this year are birds from Whitings Farm in Delta. Their hens lay eggs that are brown, blue or green in color.

Kopasz hopes that everyone enjoys the store’s special guests this spring. “We’re excited to have them here,” she said.